Hosiery



M. H. wlEcHMANN.

. HOSIERY. APPLICATION FILED Aus.19, 1920.

Patented N ov. 28, 1922.

Patented Nev.' 2s, 1922.

UNITED STATES ,PATENT OFFICE MARIE H. WIECHMANN, Oil NEW YORK,v N. Y.

HosIEnY.

Appncation mea Aug-ust 19, V19211. serial miao-1,614.

-tains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in hosiery, and mo-re particularly ladies hosiery. The improved hosiery of the present invention is of pleasing appearance, is adapted for theattachment of the garters thereto without injury, insures added comfort to the wearer, and presents other advantages, hereinafter more fully set forth.

In ladies hosiery, as commonly made, it

is customary to provide a wide hem at the upper end thereof .in order to provide an increased thickness and added strength for the attachment of the garters. Even with the double thickness thus pro-vided, however, the

arters place a considerable strain upon the fabric of the stocking'at the place'where they are secured, and' this not infrequently results in the breaking of one or more of the threads oryarns of the stocking, with resulting running, which may prevent the further wearing of the stocking, or give to it an objectionable, unsightly appearance. In order to reduce to acertain degree this danger of injury to the stocking, it is common to provide garters with extra large knobs and clasps so that an increased amount -of the'stocking fabric can .be gripped thereby; but this is likewise objectionable for the reason that the large knobs of the garter protrude in an unsightly manner, especially in the summertime and with thin. garments.

Garters of this character may even be annoy- Xing to the wearer when seated, because of their size and because-of the customary use of two or more garters attached at diiferent places around the top of the stocking.

The present invention relates to an improved `form of hosiery which makes possible a very substantial saving in the amount of fabric commonly required, which enables garters of comparatively Small size to be secured thereto -with the required firmness, and which will equalize the strain placed upon the stocking by the garters, with resulting `decrease in the strain placed .upon

the stocking asa whole at any one place, and j correspondingly increased comfort to the wearer.

The improved hosiery of the present invention are provided at their upper ends with a series of loops, through which the 'garters are adapted to be passed andv to which the garters are adapted to be secured, which loops are made, for example, by knitting, crocheting, weaving, etc., so as to provide a construction of proper strength and I having an elasticity comparable with that 'of the stocking itself, so that the upper edge of the stocking can be stretched to the desired extent and will accommodate itself, because of its elasticity, when worn. The material forming the garter loops is made integral with or secured to the upper edge of the stocking, which can be sufliclently reinforced for this purpose, and which will in turn be strengthened and reinforced by the manner in which the loops, and the material of which they are made, are secured.

Inasmuch as the improved hosiery of the present invention have garter loops thus provided at their upper ends, it becomes undrawing, but it is intended and will be understood that the invention is illustrated by, but is not limited to,the specific embodiments so illustrated and described.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. .l shows, in a somewhat diagrammatic manner, the upper end'of a stocking embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of 'part of the stocking of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Figjll is a diagrammatic or skeleton view illustratingoine mode of forming the garter loops; Fig. 5 shows a modified embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 6 shows a still further modified formof the invention. The stocking 1 may be of cotton, silk, o

other material, and may be woven or knitted in the usual way. Instead of providinga wide hem atthe upper end thereof, for attachment of the garters, this hem is omitted or reduced to a very narrow hem, such as indicated at 2. Added strength can be secured by underlying a flexible cord or thread I3 before the narrow hem 2 is turned and secured. The cord or thread 3 should have a sufiicient degree of elasticityT to permit the upper end of the stocking to be stretched to t-he necessary extent., as when the stocking is put on or taken off.

Secured to the upper edge of the stocking are a series 'of loops 4, spaced a short distance apart, and providing loops for the attachment of the garters. While these loops need n ot extend around the entire top of the stocking, yet it is desirable for various reasons, that they should so extend. For example, corsets are commonly provided with two or three garter straps at each side, so that these can be secured to the stocking at dilferent places around the top of the same, to distribute the strain, and more uniformly support the stocking and hold it Iin place. Since hosiery must be interchangeable and capable of being worn on either the right foot or the left, this requires that the garter shall be attachable either on one side or the other, and at various places around the top of the stocking. So also, the

I the attachment of the top of the stocking next provision of a series of loops extending entirely around the stocking, at suitable distances apart, adds to the pleasing appearance of the stocking and gives it a desirable iinished appearance.

As illustrated in Figs. l to 4, the loops 4 are made'by securing a series of rows of stitching or of crocheting, knitting or weaving, around the reinforced top of the stock.- ing. As illustrated in Fig. 4, a series of stitches 8 may thus be made around the tops of the stockings, the thread or yarn, at in'- tervals, forming a large loop 4, and, betweenthes'e loops, forming a series of small loops each secured to thel top of the stocking. The second series of stitches or loops 9 is then attached to the first series, to strengthen and reinforce the same, anda third series of loops l0 is then applied, this series extending back and forth around the loop 4 three times, thus giving added reinforcement. The loops thus made, e. g., by crocheting or knitting, serve to reinforce the loops 4 andto distribute the strain due to garters through these loops. .That is, instead of the strain being taken up entirely by the ends of the loops 4, at their inner edges, this strain is distributed o'ver a considerable portion of the adjoining the loop, this distribution being' promoted by the Inanner in which the loops and intervening reinforcement are formed. The inner series of loops 9, secured around the inner loop 8, may thus be 'more closely arranged, as indicated at 5 in Figs. 2 and 3, while the outer rows, indicated at 6 in Figs. 2 and 3,

Aa plurality of rows maybe of coarser weave or knitting. It is desirable to have a substantial width of the material formingthe loop so that this material will be gripped and held between the two parts of the garter clasp, and the garter thereby kept from slipping. This arrangement further assists in '.more uniformly distributing the garter strain around the top of the stocking.

In the construction of Fig. 5, the loops are formed by knitting, crocheting, etc., in a manner somewhat similar to that indicated in Fig. 4. Thus, theinner row of stitches l5 passes around the top of the stocking and the inside of the loops 23, and the loops are reinforced by-a plurality of additional rows of stitches indicated at 1G,`IT and i9, While the stocking between the loops is further reinforced by a second row of stitches 18. In forming the loops and reinforcement, the inner row of stitches may be applied to the stocking 2l, and formed into loops 23 at regular intervals, and the second row ot stitches 18 may then be applied andsecured to the first row, passing around the loop once to form the row 16, thence back to form the row v17', and again in the reverse direction to form the outer row 19, after `which the row continues to the next loops. This arrangement assists strain applied to the loop so that it is taken up by a considerable portion of' the top of the stocking.

In the construction of Fig. 6, the garter loops are formed integral with the stocking itself, for example, by knitting or crochet.- ing. The stocking 2l may thus be provided with an upper portion of thicker weave to form a reinforced upper end, and the loops 23 may be formed by weaving or knitting of stitches 25 which extend around the loops as indicated at 24. This arrangement also provides for distributing the strain of the garter over a considerable portion of the top of the stocking.

The illustrations of Figs. 5 and 6, as well as those of the other gures, have been somewhat exaggerated for purposes of illustration, inasmuch as the knitting and similar operations are Well understood by those skilled in the art so that detailed description and illustration is unnecessary.

The mode of attaching a garter to the stocking is illustrated in Fig. l, that is, by

inserting the knob 27 of the usual garter through the loop 4 and securing the clasp 26 to the knob after it has )assed through the loop. The material of tlie loop is thus clamped between the clasp 26 and the back part of the garter carrying the knob 27, in the manner above described. The fabric 28 of the garter is preferably adjustable (by means not shown), so that the garter may extend to the desired length to permit attachment to the loops of the stock ing.

llO

Whentwo or more garters are secured to y the stocking, at different places around its upper end, the strain or pullupon the stocking will be distributed, and this pull or strain will in turn be taken up by a considerable portion of the top of the stockin at land near the upper loop or loops to whic the garters are attached.

The present invention makes possible the use of a smaller garter clasp than is commonly used, inasmuch as such a smaller clasp can with equal if not greater facility be secured to the arter loops than can a larger clasp. The improved hosiery of the present invention thus makes possible the use of less unsightly andl less annoying garter and garter clasps, while nevertheless avoiding the objections which 'commonly prevent such clasps from being used.

In addition to the garter loo s, similar to those above described, it wil be evident that the upper ends of the stocking can be given a more finished and pleasing appearance by knitting or crocheting between the loops around the stocking. It will be evident that any suchlniitting or'crocheting should be elastic toa degree comparable with that of the stocking itself.

By making the loops of a different color of yarn from that of the stocking, it is possible to add to the pleasing appearance of the stocking, as by using a color of yarn which will contrast with that of the stock-- ing itself.

I claim 1. A stocking provided with a hem at the top thereof, and having a garter loop xedly united with the top ed e of the hem, and reinforcing means along t e hem of the stocking.

top thereof, an having a garter loop xedly united with the hem abovethe lower edge of the hem, and reinforcing means along the vhein of the stocking.

3. A stock'in having a narrow hem and having a rein orcing elastic cord enclosed therein, `and a series of garter loops secured y rto the upper edge of the hein and to the cord by stitching, each of said garter loops comprising a series of rows of stitches and being so securedy as to distribute the strain of the garter over a considerable portion of the upperedge of the stocking.

4. A stocking provided with a,hem at the top thereof, havin continuous reinforcing means along the hem, and a garter loop fixedly united to the hem and said reinforcing means.

5. A stocking provided with a hein at the top thereof, havin continuous reinforcing means along the em, `and va garter loop xedl united with the hem.

6. l stocking provided with a hem at the top thereof, and having a series of arter loops ixedly united with the hem, an reinforcing means along the hem of the stockin between said garter loops.

7. A stocking having a hem at the top thereof and having at least one garter loopv permanently associated with the hein abovev the lower edge of said hem, and stitches arranged along the hem of the stocking and connected-to either side of said loop so that the strain of the garter is distributed over a considerable portion of the upper edge of the stocking.

In testimony whereof I affix'my signature.

MARIE H. WIECHMANN. 

